Remenising the Fallen
by Cookie M 2012
Summary: The loss of a loved one is never easy... and Po had yet to properly grief with his father and the panda villagers over the loss of some of his kind that had fallen twenty years ago. To do so, they held their annual ceremony for the lost, with Po, the Masters, and the citizens of the Valley being the fresh faces to be present, as well as new additions to their personal customs.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Meaningful Losses**_

 _What is a peaceful person? There are many different versions on who holds these characteristics, depending on who you ask. A "peaceful" person is someone who's not willing to force other people to behave in a certain way that he/she likes them to . A "peaceful" person is someone who's in peace with/him/herself and the environment around and accepts everything the way they are..._

 _Whether they are good or bad._

A lot of citizens in the Valley were unsure about this one statement, as they were ill-experienced of so called 'Peace' a very long time ago, and Po could certainly understand without having to endure it with them...

The people who weren't educated in 'Peace' were those who once inhabited in the Secret Panda village up in the mountains. After the defeat of Kai, they all thought it was best to go live in the Valley of Peace with Po and the Furious Five; mainly because they wanted to learn about the world beyond their safety boundaries, as well as becoming one with their ancestors years ago by becoming the Master of their own Chi. All was happy...

Until the anniversary.

Po was going to have his first real grieving of the loss of his people; the original panda village that Shen destroyed in attempt to change his destiny when Po was just a cub. He had the shoulder for his father to cry on when he showed Po the picture from his 100th day with his departed mother. It broke him that he didn't remember anything about that event; not even the feeling of his mother's warmth as her large... motherly paws. He had so many questions for his father, he made a list to give him when the time felt right and more... lively.

Po sat in his room, reading it over at sun rise, while writing down one more burning question. After putting down the brush, he re-read it for at least the tenth time, however, he frowned at the last question. _That's a stupid thing to put down,_ he thought negatively, ready to pick up the brush. _It's never gonna be answered..._

He felt a tentative paw on his back, in which he turned to see little Lei Lei, smiling up at him. He couldn't help but briefly smile at her, before look up, to see Tigress, keeping quiet as she stared down at him. She knelt behind him, and Lei Lei walked into her arms, snuggling into her chest as her arms closed shut. "I came to check if you were ready..." She spoke softly, slightly swaying from side to side to occupy the little panda cub. She was drowning in all black; it was like any part of her fur that didn't consist of black was bursting out of a black suit. Other than that, there were the golden trims and red sash to hold up her black satin pants. As for Lei Lei, she had a little black dress.

"Yeah... just..." He sighed, looking down at his own black overalls. "I never thought I'd dedicate a day in my life to sadness..."

Tigress smiled sympathetically. "It is strange isn't it?" Her eyes focused on the side track of Po's face, as she released one paw to reach out, and plant itself on his shoulder. "But the Valley welcomes new customs that are valuable to others. Your father and the other pandas obviously find this important, that they asked Shifu if they could use the Hall of Warriors for the ceremony... we are willing to take part."

"I get that Tigress..." he steadily placed his right paw atop of the one she had on his shoulder. Immediately, their paws latched onto eachother, sealing their own special little lock. "There just seems to be questions inside me piling up, stuff I want to ask my dad... they feel important to ask him as soon as possible, but I don't want..."

"It's about your..." she couldn't muster the word out from her lips, "... isn't it?" He just had to nod, before Tigress looked down at Lei Lei, who in turn stared up at her innocently. "Lei Lei," the feline cleared her throat as Po turned to look out the window. "Can you go and see if Mantis had your action figure? You don't seem to have it with you."

"Oh..." the little girl looked at her empty paws. She was starting to talk a lot more now. "I might have left it in the kitchen.."

"While you find it, can you go see if anyone needs help setting up okay?" She nodded happily, before jumping up and bounding out of the room, calling out for her 'Stripey Baby'.

This gave her the chance to pull the panda close, and go in for a hug, but he raced her to it. His large, empty arms now had her as their fill. Her head rested against his chest. "Po..."

"Please Tigress... I just need this..." She said nothing more, and took in his warmth, as her head tucked itself under his chin.

The ear she didn't have against his chest flicked as the sound of his heartbeat traveled to it from the other, a soft and soothing lullaby she too had, one that would put Lei Lei to sleep each night. When that was done, she would join Po under the Peach tree, to watch the Moon glow upon them, and he would reverse the roles.

There was something different about this interaction. A sigh, then silence. She sighed, the silence comes back. A bird chirps outside... and something wet lightly kisses her neck. Instead of reaching up to check what it was, she broke the hug, slowly gaining the view of the panda's face, gradually breaking apart with her heartstrings at the evidence of little lines tracing down his cheeks, spouting from his reddening orbs that gave him the gift of sight. "I'm sorry..." he whispered, possibly only realizing.

"For what?" She felt a lump in her throat. Placing both paws of his dampened cheeks, she wiped a tear away with her thumbs light dragging along the tears in its path, while she attempted to smile. "Just cry..." She whispers, both leaned towards each other, foreheads touching. He wraps his arms around her tighter, hoisting her up a little, until her chin was resting on top of his head, arms around him. "It's okay to express how you feel... it's alright."

* * *

Po and Tigress reached the Hall of Warriors in somewhat better spirits. Upon their entry, they weren't expecting a congregation that composed of the majority of the Valley of Peace's original inhabitants, mingling with those who once situated in the secret panda village. Shifu stood by Li Shan, bowing along with Viper, Crane, Mantis and Monkey, probably handing over every condolence that summed up every member that worked in the Palace before everything changed.

Their teammates noticed them, and immediately walked over, giving Tigress time is move away, to give them room to hug heir friend, and whisper their own little words of sympathy. Whilst in an embrace with Monkey, Po watched his biological father nod in silence, smiling and beckoning over other pandas, letting them know that the nitorious Masters have gifted them with such kind words. Mei Mei was there, wiping her eyes with a tissue, while his cousins had an arm over each other.

"It gets that little bit easier every year." Li Shan said. "It still hurts, but every death that occurs even after is an impact on us all. We pandas are like one big family. We all know who lost who.. and miss dearly." Hearing the pain in each word that released itself from his dad's mouth, Po abruptly grabbed hold of Tigress' paw without asking for consent. She nearly jumped at the sudden contact between them, and looked down at the connection, before looking back up at him and asked what was wrong.

"I... I'm scared to go over to him." Po whispered in reply.

The feline frowned at first, before showing her sympathy through the tightening grip on Po's paw, and gently rubbing his forearm with the other, while everyone shot saddened looks at one another. "Come outside for a moment?"

"Okay," and so they did; away from others unintentionally eavesdropping, they continued to talk, eyeing the sky suspiciously at the telltale signs of rain.

"How do you feel about all this, Po?"

Po gave an audible exhale. "He's been in pain for years... over the loss of both me and my mom. Now that I'm back in his life... very _much_ alive, will it make things any easier for him?" Tigress sensed someone coming up from behind them, and turned to see Crane, Monkey, Mantis and Viper coming their way. She signalled them to be quiet with a finger rplaced upon her lips. They immediately noticed, and nodded back at her. "Or will he slowly break bit by bit everytime he looks at me?"

Tigress pulled at his arm to catch his attention again. "Is that how you feel about him? That when he talks to you, he has broken hope that your mother is still alive somehow?"

"When he told me about how everything was taken away from him, I promised him he was never gonna lose me... but looking into his eyes before we hugged, I saw that hope Tigress... I want him to stop suffering. I want them _all_ to stop going through this... thing that I'm not experienced in. He _knows_ my mom is gone..." Po sounded like he was going to burst into tears. Tigress wasn't sure what to do or say, and Po placed his paws on her shoulders, looking down at her confused expression. "But to think that I was gone too, and then suddenly be alive after twenty years of separation... it makes that false desire within him, for her to still be here..." He unhooked himself from Tigress and held his head in his paws. "I only learnt how to become a real panda... or is this just another challenge to completely Master it... that he didn't tell me about?"

"Not... exactly." Po felt a wing set on his shoulder. Both Tigress and himself turned to find the rest of the Furious Five close behind them. Viper wore snowdrop head flowers, Crane wore a black hat and sash; Monkey wore black pants and a red sash, and Mantis had his chest painted in black. "Po, it's plain to see that you feel dislatched from a source of basic emotion that this town rarely sees..." Crane smiled weakly. "If one is mourning, we _all_ are. The five and I see each other in pain, and we soon are in unison; we understand one another on certain levels of loss, pain, and suffering. It's the same for you Po."

"Yeah," Monkey and Mantis said in unison.

"I can connect to you Po," all turned to Tigress, "as I am too adopted, but unfortunately I cannot give any words on how you feel with your father, as I still await to find out who my biological family are." Po felt his heart twist almost painfully, but she kept going. "This may not be the norm for you Po... but remember this." His eyes were starting to wander elsewhere, so she held his cheeks again, to keep his gaze in her viewing range, while Crane and the others glanced at one another. "This will help you learn that little bit more to become one with your own kind. You are still learning each and everyday, as are we. You pandas are quite... extroadinary creatures." Po, Mantis, Crane, Viper and Monkey chuckled. Po's smile wasn't fully appearing thanks to his slightly cramped cheeks. "But even those who are always so happy and easy going... have to go through pain and sadness... but can still come out strong."

"It's okay to feel this way sweetie..." Viper slithered around Po's shoulder, and kissed him on the cheek, before the boys closed in for a group hug. Tigress watched in silence at first, ready to turn and walk away, but Po's paw pulled her into the hug too, placing her somehow against him, and beneath the rest, before the first few drops of rain began to descend from the sky. "Not everyone goes through life always happy. We all know that."

* * *

Li noticed the second time 'round, his son was present. Watching Po close in on him, with the rest of the five not far behind him, he smiled, and opened his arms to greet him. "Hey there Little Lotus," he tried to sound cheerful, but with the mass of sadness weighing on them in the hall, he didn't have much to push against it. Shifu and Mr. Ping watched on with concern, but the panda saw them immediately. "Sadness is part of life, as we all know, and we must move on. However," he patted Po on the back as enthusiastic as he could manage, "we must not forget those we lost..." He looked over Po's head, to find Tigress, Crane, Monkey, Viper, and Mantis standing close by. "Masters... I humbly thank you for letting us use the Hall of Warriors to host this important custom of ours..."

"No problem Shan sir," Tigress picked up Lei Lei once she toddled over to her. "We understand that everyone's customs and values must be accepted, and we were more than happy to give you a place of importance to us, for the use of something you find so important."

While she spoke, Mei Mei made her way over. "Hello everyone..." she said with a weak smile. "It's so nice of you to let us use the Hall... we'll have everything the way it was by sundown-"

"Take all the time you need," Crane insisted politely, even though he knew when saying that, it may not be done as quick as they thought.

"The chairs will be no issue." Shifu spoke up. "However, when it comes to the shrine-" he motioned towards the made-shift alter, which held vases of flowers, food, essence and candles, as well as photos, toys, and parchmets. "I'll be more than happy to leave that where it is... once we have a proper alter for it."

"Do you really mean it Master Shifu?" Mei Mei gasped, ready to start crying again.

"Of course-" without warning, Mei Mei had Shifu in her arms, almost suffocating him in her tight hold. "It is something that should not be seen as nothing." Tigress and the other nodded at each other with pride when they saw every panda in the room look up at the start of Shifu's words. Po's smile stood out to him the most. Waiting for Shifu to look his way once the female panda set it down, he mouthed a soft 'thank you'.

"May our loved ones ask the Gods to bless you for your kind action." Li wrapped hi arm around Po's shoulders. "This'll mean a lot to our deceased."

* * *

 **Hey all! This is gonna be a short story (two chapters long) hope you like it! Please note, this piece may be a songfic, as I do intend to put a song in the piece, but that may change. Who knows!**

 **Please review!**

 **And if I don't update anymore by midnight- HAPPY NEW YEAR! (It's 2:36am over here atm).**

 **CIAO!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**2**_

Some time later, Shifu asked everyone to take their seats, as the ceremony was about to begin. Po, Tigress, and the rest of the Five sat close together.  
Po had to sit in the front with his fathers, while Tigress and the others sat behind him. When they took their places, Po looked at them nervously.  
Tigress patted his back with encouragingly, while the others smiled at him. He smiled back for their sake, before everyone's attention was on Master Shifu, cued the moment he cleared his throat.

"Thank you everyone for giving your time to join us on this day." He began. "It means a lot to those who was once situated in the Panda village. Twenty years ago, they endured a time in history they will never forget. As we are inexperienced of this new custom in the Valley, I will call forth Sir Li Shan." He turned to the panda named, and as if to ask with his mind, everyone looked the same way, apart from Tigress and the Five. He stood up slowly, and as he walked away, Mr. Ping patted the seat for Po to sit on, just so he could have both Dad's on either side for support. Po took the opportunity while his Li took Shifu's place after they bowed towards one another.

"Uh... hi there," he began, turning to face everyone and giving off a timid wave. Silence fell, so he cleared his throat awkwardly. "This ceremony of ours lasts the day... honestly a day no one really looks forward to... emotionally. Of course everyday most of us pray to our loved ones, but this is the anniversary of that fateful day. Of course, you all are new to this, so we will give you some details, and then commence with the ceremony... and then you all are welcome to exchange stories of loved ones. We will ammence this day as one you can connect with your loved ones too..." He bowed to the congregation. "Thank you."

Everyone bowed back, still sitting down, wordless. Li notice Po moved up one, but had nothing to say against the action, so resumed to take his new place. Simultaneously, Mei Mei rose and made her way to where Li once stood. It was unnatural to see her in a black kimono and no ribbon in her paws, and in this strange, quiet form, saying nothing until a few seconds in her place in front of everyone.

"I'm Mei Mei, as you all would know by now, and I am in love with Ribbon dancing, as far as I can remember. I get that from my mom... she passed away a few days after I was born... and it was hard for my Father to raise me on his own... but he was doing a great job, doing everything he could to be both a mom and a dad, and with my Aunt's help, I was able to blossom..." she looked down at the floor just in front of her feet, while Po glanced to the side, to find, whom he assumed was Mei Mei's Aunt, sitting directly in front of Mei Mei, wiping tears off her cheeks gently. "Shen came along a few months later... and that's where this ceremony has come from; the pain and despair over the loss of our people eternally imprinted into the roots of his feathers..." Mei Mei took in a sharp breath. "However, this is a day of remembrance for all... and rejoice of how far we have come in our present day...with the extraordinary milestones I have achieved... defeating Kai, becoming a Master of Chi with my people, and the blossom of new friendships... with Po, Master Viper... and Master Tigress-"

Everyone turned their glances at Tigress, who stared ahead like nothing happened, nodded towards Mei Mei. Po glanced down at the feline's gentle hold on his shoulder. Slowly, he placed his paw on top of hers. As of recently, he only ever saw the two practice Tai Chi together, or Tigress watch Viper and Mei Mei. "A Master," Mei Mei continued, catching everyone's attention again. "Who is always there to listen with a gentle ear, a paw to give a comforting hold that my passion for Ribbon dancing can sometimes fail to fix... I am honored to work alongside her, and called her a dear friend..." She held up a paw, while the other was sitting on her heart. "I as an individual, and one of the youngest survivors of such a dark time... thank the Gods above, where I hope my dear parents are at peace, knowing I am me."

There was a soft eruption of applause, as Mei Mei bowed and stepped down towards Tigress and the others. Crane shifted out of the way so she could get through, and Lei Lei, who was originally sitting next to Tigress, was pulled into her arms as the feline stood up, and wrapped an arm around Mei Mei's neck, whose arms wrapped around Tigress' back, embracing her when the feline was unable to. They quickly sat down after, as Dim and Sum stood, and spoke about their father, and the joy that was shared among their family when they found out about Po being alive. They were fortunately not born at the time of Shen's attack, but heard, and became involved in their uncles pain... along with their own ounce of pain... of the man they never met.

"You'd think it was hard to miss someone you don't miss." Dim spoke almost bluntly, before the tears began to fall. "We lost our father, but we weren't born... our parents didn't even know they was expecting us then... but Li told us so much about Po, in the months he was around. Meeting him, he felt like a part of the family was returned to us... while the others are still missing."

"At the end of the day, we pray to our dad..." Sum looked up towards the Shrine. "Who was Uncle Li's brother in-law, and thank him for fighting- for our safety and existence, saving our mom, and the other survivors of that night... even though he didn't know we were to come." Po felt his heart twist a little, and glanced to his side, to see his father closing his eyes, his closed fist resting against his lips in such as way that his thumb was under his nose, barely touching it. Casting his eyes on the floor, Po remembered he had the list under the seat. As he gradually reached down to pick it up, others came up and told stories; losing a husband, a wife, and sibling, a lover, a parent... and even little infants. This struck a chord for Li, and he held onto his son's paw once he stood up, as a woman shared her story, as subtle and PG as possible, of how her child was snatched out of her arms, and... the rest spoke for itself.

Before Po passed the scroll to his father, he heard a whimpering behind him, which made him turn, to find Lei Lei crying into Tigress' chest. The feline had her protective arms around the cub, softly exchanging the words 'she'll be alright', as the little girl begged with her rising cries for her Stripey baby to hold her as close as possible. Her eyes screwed up tightly, and her paws latched onto the fabric beneath them just to show get all the tears out. He assumed that she was crying because the majority of people in the room were crying too.. or maybe she was used to this time of year. Anyway, he turned back to face the right way, while slowly passing the scroll to Li, at long last.

Li felt the nudge on his belly, and took it slowly, looking at his son in confusion. "Another speech?" He asked. Po shook his head, and a threw a small gesture to his dad to open it. Li did so, and as Grandma Panda shared a story of the loss of her husband, he took the time to read;

 _1\. What was her name?  
2\. What was her favorite food.  
3\. Did she sing?  
4\. Did she dance? Tigress and Monkey have been wondering where I get my, quote un-quote 'amazing' moves and songs from.  
5\. Was she a master of napping?  
6\. What was her favorite hobby?  
7\. Did she make clothes?  
8\. Was she a good cook?  
9\. Was she able to tame my appetite? Dad 'A' told me that I had a mighty appetite, and I ate all his bamboo furniture._

 _..._ The list continued...

 _41\. What was her favorite song?  
42\. What did she sound like?_

 _..._

And the last one...

 _50\. Would she be proud of me now?_

Po sat and waited for Li to finish, and saw the signal when the scroll was wrapped up slowly again. He watched his father's paws close it delicately, keeping it close and firm on his lap, curling his fingers around the cylinder. When he dared to look up, he found tears welling up in his eyes, and Po wasn't far behind to follow suite. Slowly, Li wrapped his arms around Po, silently crying on his shoulder again. Po hugged him back, very tightly.

"Of course she will be son." He whispered through sharp breaths. Tigress was watching them closely, smiling softly as he squeezed Lei Lei closer. "Always..."

* * *

It didn't just end there.

As night began to descend, the skies grew clearer, and the stars were starting to appear, but the weird grassy smell that followed a rainy day lingered around them in the candle and lantern light village square.

 ** _I tried to walk together_**  
 ** _But the night was growing dark..._**  
 ** _Thought you were beside me_**  
 ** _But I reached and you were gone..._**

Every member from the Panda village had traditional black and white lanterns... which Po was in sync with. Staring down at the lantern, clinging onto the edges in fear it would float away at the wrong time.

 ** _Sometimes I hear you calling_**  
 ** _From some lost and distant shore_**

The villagers whom were in the Valley of Peace before the Panda's joined were gathering with their own, to symbolize their own loses, even the Masters of the Palace; Monkey was sending one off in memory of his Mother; Mantis in memory of one of his childhood friends...

 ** _I hear you crying softly for the way it was before..._**

Viper and Crane in memory of their grandparents.

 ** _Where are you now?_**  
 ** _Are you lost?_**

Shifu in memory of Master Oogway; and Tigress dedicated hers to anyone who had passed, and didn't have a loved on to send their lantern to. The children were given candles to blow out with their prayers in the flame.

 ** _Will I find you again?_**  
 ** _Are you alone?_**

"To the Gods above." Li began.

 ** _Are you afraid?_**  
 ** _Are you searching for me?_**  
 ** _Why did you go? I had to stay_**  
 ** _Now I'm reaching for you_**  
 ** _Will you wait? will you wait?_**

"May we thank you for looking after our dearly departed after they left us on this young with many memories. May you still keep watch over us, and guide us through every twist and turn fate places upon us. By sending you up our lanterns, and the blowing of our candles, we ask these requests are answered..."

 ** _Will I see you again?_**

 ** _You took it with you when you left_**  
 ** _These scars are just a trace_**  
 ** _Now it wanders lost and wounded_**  
 ** _This heart that I misplaced..._**

And so, with a nod to his son, Po was the first to release the lantern from his finger tips, holding himself back from grabbing it back. Soon, his father followed, then his cousins, then Mei Mei, and the other members of the panda village. Po's eyes screwed tightly while his lantern went further away, towards the Jade Palace, with the other lanterns following it. Tigress and the others turned and asked if he was okay...

 _Mom... I can't lose you again._

 _ **Where are you now?**_

Out of nowhere, he began to run. Up the thousand steps. Ignoring everyone calling out for him. Panting heavily, he kept his eye on his lantern.

 ** _Are you lost?  
_ _Will I find you again?_**

Reaching the platform outside the Hall of Heroes, he caught his lantern again. Staring at it intently, he let the tears roll down his face. Edging his head closer to it, he whispered tearfully. "I love you Mom..."

 _ **Are you alone?**_  
 _ **Are you afraid?**_

Memories began to plague his mind; Shen's attack on the village was violent, red, and frightening in the eyes of a cub.

 _ **Are you searching for me?**_  
 _ **Why did you go? I had to stay**_  
 _ **Now I'm reaching for you**_  
 _ **Will you wait? Will you wait?**_

 _ **Will I see you again?**_ _ **  
**_

 _"I love you too... Little Lotus."_

He heard a faint voice softly singing in his ear. A gentle, feminine notation moving up and down beautifully. Without thinking, he let his lantern go, and it soon disappeared into the sea of light above him.

His paws and knees touched the ground, and he started to sob as he felt Tigress, Crane, Viper, Monkey, and Monkey collapse behind him. They didn't say anything, but they just held onto him. Po wrapped his arms around Tigress and Monkey, while Mantis hugged the bag of his head. Nothing _needed_ to be said...

He just needed them there.

* * *

 **And we are done! Thanks for reading! Be sure to review!  
**

 **I don't own the song; it's called Hymn of the Missing by Red.**

 **Ciao!**


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